HASTINGS Priory were knocked off the Sussex Cricket League summit after going by a single wicket at home to title rivals Preston Nomads.
Priory got off to a dreadful start and found themselves in all sorts of trouble at 17-5 before Tim van Noort (36) and John Morgan (29) steered them to a respectable 164 all out.
Carl Simon marked his return from Antigua, by picking up 4-22 off 1
4 overs and the left arm spin of Stephen Rigg finished with 5-64.
Priory's modest total was so nearly enough but the last pair of Nick Hobbs and Rigg saw Preston to 167-9 after Jeremy Green had compiled a vital 54.
This result leaves Priory in third place in the Premier Division - six points behind second-placed Preston who have two games in hand and another nine points adrift of new leaders Cuckfield.
Bexhill remain top in Division Two despite losing by 80 runs at home to Roffey.
Batting was far from easy at The Polegrove and it needed a good knock from number 10 Mark Pavlovic (39 not out) to guide the visitors to 189-9. Jamie Wicks returned figures of 3-41.
Ashley Wright (30) top-scored in reply but Bexhill never threatened the target as young spinner Luke Barnard (5-31) helped dismiss them for 109 in 30 overs.
Sidley suffered their ninth defeat in 11 matches when they went down by four wickets at the hands of Worthing.
Elliot Bullock (70) and Tyrone Wildman (57) guided Sidley to 182 all out, but it wasn't enough to stave off another loss.
The full article contains 271 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
